History
50+
Years of faith,
and God's faithfulness
“Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your Name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.” (Ps 115:1)
The Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR) worldwide began 50 years ago in 1967, and the Lord, in His appointed time, brought this spiritual renewal to Ghana in 1970, just three (3) years later. As the Renewal in Ghana spread across the country, a formal coordination became necessary. As a result, with the Ghana Bishops’ Conference approval, Rev. Fr. Ernst Sievers began the formal national coordination and saw to the development and approval of the first prayer group guidelines in 1981.
In 1882, a team from the Caribbean Islands, led by Fr. Michael Kosak, was invited to run the Life in the Spirit Seminars (LSS) and to train leaders. Upon their advice, a leadership structure, namely, National Service Team (NST), Diocesan Service Teams (DSTs) & Local Service Teams (LSTs) were put in place to ensure effective coordination from the local to the national level. In 1984, when Fr. Sievers had to relocate to Germany, the late Msgr. Songlindong was appointed by the Ghana Bishops’ Conference to take over the national coordination from Fr. Sievers. Both Fr. Sievers & the Late Msgr. Songlindong operated on part-time basis from the Centre for Spiritual Renewal in Kumasi and the Wanye Renewal Centre in Wa respectively.
In 1990, the late Msgr. Songlindong, in collaboration with the NST, made proposals to the Ghana Bishops’ Conference for the appointment of a Full-time Lay National Coordinator and National Chaplain. This proposal was approved by the Conference in 1991, and Mr. Anthony Osei Assibey and Rev. Fr. Richard Kyeremeh respectively served as Full Time Lay National Coordinator and National Chaplain. In the same year, a request for a land to build a National Office for the Renewal was granted by Archbishop Kwasi Sarpong, now Emeritus, at the Christian Village, Santasi, Kumasi. Nana, may the Good Lord richly bless you.
As the Renewal prepared in 1992 to have a Centre, a house named ‘Adom Fie,’ (House of Grace) at Adiembra in Kumasi, was hired to serve as the National Office. The name, ‘Adom Fie,’ was then adopted and has ever since been associated with and kept for the National CCR-Centre. We testify that the name ‘Adom’ (Grace), has been divine, and has contributed in diverse ways to bring the Centre this far. Amen!
About Adom Fie
In response to the ‘Decade of Evangelisation,’ (1990 – 2000) declared by St. Pope John Paul II, the NST, during CCR National Congress in 1995 at Christ the King Cathedral in Sunyani, launched its vision to build a Formation & Service Centre to train leaders & disciples for renewal & evangelisation. Subsequently, Mr. Poku Awuah (an Architect) and Mr. Ofori Sarpong (a Structural Engineer), both members of the CCR, who freely offered their professional services, were engaged by the NST to design and see to the building project. They were also tasked to ensure that the Upper Room concept, as in the Acts of the Apostles, has a bearing on the design.
